‘I can’t see how we can bring this RTÉ saga to an end until we hear from Dee Forbes’
Former media minister says ex-DG should be forced to answer questions
FORMER media minister Pat Rabbitte has called for either the Media Committee or the Public Accounts Committee to be granted new powers to force reluctant witnesses to attend.
Mr Rabbitte said the ongoing saga over the RTÉ scandal will not be dealt with until its former boss, Dee Forbes, comes before a committee.
Ms Forbes has been called to attend several media committees since the scandal broke l ast summer but has so f ar not appeared, citing health reasons.
Speaking on Newstalk radio yesterday, Mr Rabbitte said: ‘The time has come that one or the other of the committees should apply for the facility and require the former chief executive [Dee Forbes] to attend.’
Mr Rabbitte, Tusla chairman, warned that without such powers: ‘I can’t see how we can bring this saga to an end.’
He added: ‘Managerial competence at the top was even more feeble than the governance. There clearly was an unofficial board that involved a small number of individuals, and they only told the authority what they wanted to, and it appears there was no one on the authority that wanted to hear too much.
‘Unless the former DG appears and deals with some of these issues, I don’t see how you can bring it to an end and that is going to do awful damage to RTÉ and society,’ Mr Rabbitte said.
The Media Committee will consider whether it will apply for such a facility this Thursday when the station will be cross-examined on ‘Transparency of RTÉ’s expenditure of public funds, governance i s s ues, and f uture f unding challenges facing RTÉ’.
Committee chair Niamh Smyth told the Irish Mail on Sunday that the lack of co-operation from certain people ‘is making a mockery of those who have participated’, adding: ‘No one wants to use compellability powers but I will be encouraging the committee to consider the option this week.’
Commenting on the declaration by Ms Forbes’s solicitor that the former director general is receiving medical and psychological treatment, Ms Smyth said: ‘Obviously we will respect medical advice, but there are a number of others we are intent on recalling.’
Those who have refused to attend again include Rory Coveney and Breda O’Keeffe. Former chair Moya Doherty has yet to respond to a request to appear.
One Media Committee source warned: ‘They are starting to play ducks and drakes with us. It is time to call their bluff.’
RTÉ can also expect to be sharply criticised over the plight of 695 workers who were falsely classified as being self-employed.
Media Minister Catherine Martin was criticised when she revealed that no estimate or contingency fund existed for this – and that she had not asked for one.
One committee source said of Ms Martin’s performance: ‘She was clueless. It was a study in i nertia. Kevin Bakhurst has questions to answer too. He said he would protect staff. ’
Referring to the forthcoming equality referendum, Ms Smyth said: ‘A lot of people involved in this appeal are women who were there 20 years, 30 years, who were too shy to take on the suits. Now they are being referred to lawyers. If we are talking about equality that is where we start. They have been told they have no option other than the legal option. RTÉ’s choice of lawyers is Arthur Cox. How can they take on Arthur Cox?’ Media Committee member Brendan Griffin warned: ‘The workers need to be treated fairly and each case is different. Many have hav worked hard for years without o any benefits such as maternity n leave, holiday rights and pension contributions. For some, this means the difference between poverty and financial security, se especially post-retirement. m The workers I’ve met have all al felt their voices have not been he heard and have encountered ho hostility when trying to have their th plight addressed. Many feel helpless he and have suffered enormous mental anguish. ‘It’s totally unacceptable and people pe in positions of responsibility bil in RTÉ and Government can no longer wash their hands of this thi gross unfairness i n our national na broadcaster. To refer these the workers to the legal route, as I I’ve seen evidence of, is shameful, given the financial exposure to individual i workers that such an avenue ave poses, versus the financial insulation insu of the organisation no matter ma what the outcome,’ he added. add One committee member said: ‘The minister has an obligation to intervene. She cannot hide on the sidelines for the rest of her term.’
Political hostility is also growing towards RTÉ’s preferred option of ongoing Exchequer funding.
Government sources told the Mail a Cabinet move towards an LPT-style tax is ‘almost irreversible’, with one minister saying: ‘The thing is irreformable. Losses for last year alone came to €20million. It’s reform or nothing.’
One source close to the heart of Cabinet said: ‘I don’t think there’s going to be any compromise. The Tánaiste and Finance Minister are opposed to Exchequer funding.’
One minister said: ‘Exchequer funding completely contradicts what we are supposed to have learnt from the crash. We would be throwing our hands up and saying we are helpless. We would also be narrowing the tax base again when we are supposed to be doing the opposite.’
‘Making a mockery of participants’ ‘Suffered enormous mental anguish’